NEWSLETTER

May 2014

Wednesday, 28 May 2014

According to a press release of the Order of Malta, on 26 May 2014 (in the morning) the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, made a private visit to the Magistral Villa, the Order of Malta’s institutional Headquarters. The Head of State was received by the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Fra’ Matthew Festing. After visiting the Church of St. Mary on the Aventine and the villa’s gardens, President Napolitano and the Grand Master enjoyed a cordial conversation.

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Thomas Jackson, former leader and current Honorary President of the World Conference of Grand Lodges, visited last week the Republic of Moldova where he was received by Grand Master Iurie Sedleţchi. According to the Masonic Press Agency both Masonic leaders granted an exclusive interview for a local TV station.

The Grand Master of Moldova talked about the openness of Moldavian Freemasonry in society and stated that there are members of Parliament and Government in Chisinau which are Freemasons, but their identity can be disclosed only with their approval.

Thomas Jackson spoke about democracy and freedom and the relationship of these two concepts with Freemasonry, saying that where there is no democracy there is no Freemasonry. In this context he said that unfortunately no one talks about the fact that Hitler persecuted people because they were Freemasons or that in countries like Japan and Iran (during history) Freemasons were persecuted. Moreover, Jackson said that proof of this is that the Grand Lodge of Iran works in exile in the United States: "The great enemies of Freemasonry are people like Khomeini, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Franco etc."

Finally, Thomas Jackson talked about an important aspect of the Freemasons: philanthropy. "American Freemasons donate a million and a half dollars daily, 365 days a year," said the President of Honour of the World Conference of Grand Lodges. Other topics were women in Freemasonry, Masonic history, Freemasons' role in society, mistakes made by Freemasons and attacks of anti-Freemasons on the Craft etc.

The Masonic Press Agency announces that the recently elected Executive Secretary of the World Conference of Grand Lodges already granted his first interview for an online TV edition of a Romanian newspaper.

Radu Balanescu said that "organizing the World Conference is the highest honor possible because it is the most important event in the Masonic world." Regarding this event he said that: "I think organizing the World Conference was the most important moment of lobbying that regular Freemasonry ever did for our country."

During the one hour interview he also talked about the strategies of the National Grand Lodge of Romania, mentioning that the "National Grand Lodge of Romania has a very clear strategy of action in civil society on three areas that we have considered deficient: culture, education and medical system."

Thomas W. Jackson (Honorary President of the World Conference of Grand Lodges and former Executive Secretary of this Masonic world organization) said today on a televised interview that: "The educational level of the people (Romanians) is extraordinary. When I first came here I said that if Romanian will ever built infrastructure, Romania will become one of the pillars of Europe. The country has great potential, mountains and seaside, has an ancient history and ancient ruins. All these are forces that would attract tourists to the country. And I want to congratulate the Government of Romania and its people who are trying to develop Romania."

According to Jurnal Masonic, under the patronage of the Masonic Press Agency, the German Grand Master stated in a televised interview in Bucharest that "We, German Freemasons recognize that Romanian Freemasonry was the strongest in Eastern Europe."

Also, Rüdiger Templin declared that "the Masonic society is a society of the twenty-first century and Romania is an important part of the social and cultural Masonic network; and this was highlighted by the visit of the Secretary of the (Romanian) Parliament at the World Conference who said what I said, Romanian Freemasonry is an important part of society, growing step by step and it was expressed in the election of Radu Balanescu as Executive Secretary of Radu Balanescu. We note that Romania has a well structured organization."

The Grand Master of Germany said that last year he visited a monastery where he spoke with the Romanian monks, adding that "we have a responsibility to the Romanian Orthodox Church."

Saturday, 17 May 2014

On this 17th of May, 2014, ended the 13th World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges in Bucharest, Romania. According to the Masonic Press Agency, the session was held at the Parliament Palace in the presence of all Grand Lodge delegations Grand Lodges attending the event.

On this occasion, the Grand Master of California took over as Executive President and Radu Bălănescu was elected Executive Secretary of the World Conference of Grand Lodges. For more than a decade and a half this office was held by Thomas Jackson, Past Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The 14th World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges will be hosted by the Grand Masonic Lodge of California in 2015.

According to the Masonic Press Agency, Most Worshipful Grand Master Radu Balanescu of the National Grand Lodge of Romania was elected Executive Secretary of the World Conference of Regular Masonic Grand Lodges during its 13th assembly in Bucharest.

Tonight the World Conference banquet will be held at Parliament Palace, and tomorrow will take place the Annual Communication of the National Grand Lodge of Romania.

Wednesday, 14 May 2014

The accusation was made by the Cuban Government in Havana who said that exiled Cuban Freemasonry was infiltrated by U.S. intelligence. In a TV show, Gustavo Perez said that the unification process of the Cuban Freemasonry suffered a failure, stating that they wanted to destroy the North American Freemasonry, as they want to do also with the exiled Cuban Freemasons.

Were also made ​​serious allegations against the Cuban Freemasonry, stating that Cuban Freemasons live as slaves (of the communist regime). Manny Olmedo (Secretary of the Federation of Cuban Freemasons in exile) also attended the TV show, saying that the exiled Cuban Freemasons are those who represent those of Cuba and speak on their behalf internationally because the Grand Lodge of Cuba was infiltrated long ago by the communist regime.

A few hours ago in Bucharest (Romania) took place the official opening ceremony of the 13th World Conference of Masonic Regular Grand Lodges at the Romanian Parliament. In the evening will take place an official dinner gala reserved only to the leaders of the international Masonic delegations attending the event.

According to the Masonic Press Agency, the Grand Lodge of Cuba proposes that the mediation of the conflict with the Grand Lodge of Florida to take place in Bucharest, in the framework of the XIII World Conference of Grand Lodges. It also demanded to have as mediators Thomas Jackson and Tomas Alvarez (Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Masonic Confederation). We recall that the Grand Lodge of Florida has withdraw the recognition of the Grand Lodge of Cuba.

Monday, 12 May 2014

From 14 to 17 May 2014 will take place the XIII World Conference of Masonic Grand Lodges in Bucharest, Romania. The event is hosted by the National Grand Lodge of Romania. The event will be attended by delegations from Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. The last meeting took place in India. Romania received the right to host this event in 2011, in Columbia, when it won against Russia.

According to the Masonic Press Agency, Grand Lodges delegations attending the XIII World Conference are arriving today and tomorrow in the Romanian capital. Registrations are held at Phoenicia Grand Hotel from 9:00 to 18:00. The official opening ceremony of the World Conference of Grand Lodges will be held on May 15, 2014 at the Parliament Palace.

To follow the news regarding this year's largest Masonic event search the hashtag #Romania2014 both on Twitter and Facebook.

Friday, 9 May 2014

According to the Masonic Press Agency, Alan La Madrid Purisima (born on November 21, 1959) became the 97th Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines. Until on February 4, 2014, Alan Purisima was Director General of the Philippine National Police (Chief of Police). He was initiated on June 25, 1983.

Purisima grew up in San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur, being the son of a Technical Sergeant (Rodolfo R. Purisima), a retired member of the Philippine Constabulary, and Mrs. Josefina La Madrid Purisima, a retired public school teacher. After finishing high school, Purisima entered the Philippine Military Academy in 1977 and graduated from the academy in 1981. After his graduation from military academy he joined the Philippine Constabulary. He graduated from the Manuel L. Quezon University in 1995. Alan Purisima is married to Maria Ramona Lydia Isidoro Purisima and has four sons with her (Eumer Von Andrei, Rainier Van Albert, Alan, Jr. and Jason Arvi).

He is a member of Gen. Mariano Llanera Memorial Lodge Nr. 168 (Gapan, Nueva Ecija) having been initiated on June 25, 1983, passed on September 03, 1983 and raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 22, 1983. He is a Charter and Dual Member of San Leonardo Lodge No. 386 in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija; Charter Member of Isaac Puno, Sr Memorial Lodge No. 401, as well as Honorary Member of Zaragosa Lodge No. 263, Palayan City Lodge 331; AR Lamson Lodge No. 290; MS Garcia Memorial Lodge No. 306 and Kagitingan Lodge No. 286 in Makati City.

He served as the Worshipful Master of Gen. Mariano Llanera Memorial Lodge No. 168 in 2005. He also served as Grand Lodge Inspector of Zaragosa Lodge No. 263 in 2006, as District Grand Lecturer of Masonic District RIII-D in 2007, and as District Deputy Grand Master of the same District in 2010 during which he was nominated to the position of Junior Grand Warden and overwhelmingly won during the election at the Annual Communication 2011 held in Davao City.

His labors are not only evident in the confines of the Blue Lodge but also in Shrinedom and various Appendant Bodies of Freemasonry. He is a 33nd Degree of the Ancient Scottish Rite Freemasonry (Cabanatuan Bodies). He is also a York Rite Mason being a member of Manila York Rite Bodies. He served as the President of Saigon Shrine Club in 2012 and the incumbent Illustrious Potentate of the Mabuhay Shriners Philippines.